World Reviewer rating

Sailing the Exumas Islands

The map of the Exumas Islands looks like a messily eating kid has spilled crumbs all over it, the 365 cays, one for each day of the year, are dotted over it so randomly. Ranging in size from only a few metres across to Gilligan’s Island size these cays sit up in bright turquoise waters, welcoming with their beautiful, secluded bays and beaches.

On the larger islands you’ll find friendly locals and coconut bars, on the smaller ones only iguanas – making the trip seem even more fantastic and exotic. Underneath your boat you can see the sandy seafloor, in the shallows it ripples like the bottom of a swimming pool and you can clearly see the sandbars, coral heads and ribbons of reef which join the islands together in some places.

Under water there is plenty to view as well, manta rays and nurse sharks are probably the most exciting creatures to come across.

Choosing the type of boat you run these waters with can limit your landing choices, something with a shallow bottom will give you better access to the smaller cays which send to have long inclines that mean you have to almost beach your boat to moor it. If you’re quite an adventurer you might want to camp on some of the uninhabited islands, very romantic as long as you have supplies. Some of the ports for supplies are George Town, Barre Tarre, Black Point, Farmer’s Cay and Staniel Cay.

Don’t omit Thunderball Grotto near Staniel Cay from your plan, which is where scenes from both ‘Thunderball’ and ‘Splash’ were filmed and there’s some of the most beautiful snorkeling of the trip to be found.

Flying over on your way to meet your charter will raise your pulse about the trip ahead – the water changes colour as you cross in way like nowhere else you’ll see.